Opinion

Politics witnessed one of the most hectic weeks, with the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and the Tamil National Alliance – engaged in roping in members to the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) that remained hung. Finally, the lid was placed on the problem by the UPFA which managed to draw the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) into its fold.

The victory of the UPFA in the recent Eastern Provincial Council elections has to be given serious thought by the Muslim community. Though the UPFA has got 204000 votes and captured 14 seats, this does not mean that the UPFA is the governing body of the Eastern Provincial Council.

The current U.S. presidential election ratings showing Barack Obama leading his Republican challenger Mitt Romney by seven percentage points among registered voters and only three among likely voters reveal the uncertainty surrounding the whole election.

At a time when plenty of dramas are directed for the benefit of the theatre-enthusiasts in the capital, there are other dramas scripted and acted out for the sheer benefit of the individuals who appear in them.

Abortion is legally banned in Sri Lanka. Despite the ban, it is common  knowledge that these illegal activities prevail in the country, under cover.
While some say that killing a child about to be born is a crime, others may argue that abortion is a woman’s right. Most of these abortions take place without the intervention of the government.

It has been reported that Sri Lanka is expected to lobby the support of friendly US congressmen to defeat a resolution tabled in the House of Representatives on September 07 by seven congressmen demanding an international inquiry into alleged violations of the international humanitarian law during the military battle against the separatist/terrorist Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka.

THE CONTINUED logjam following the week-long negotiations in Bangkok earlier this month of the UN Climate Change Convention has not come as a surprise to many, as the great divide between the developed and developing countries persists in stalling any sensible and acceptable replacement of the much-maligned first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, which expires towards the end this year.

The ‘Malaka Silva’ affair has been ‘the’ incident during the last few days with media taking great pains not to miss a wee bit of the drama unfolded—which even Malaka’s father, Minister Mervyn Silva said that led to the sale of unsalable newspapers in the country.

The race to the Whitehouse has begun. With the conventions concluded, attention is turning to the upcoming debates. It is less than two months until Election Day, November 6.